Israel investigating disappearance of rabbi in UAE
Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are investigating the disappearance of an Israeli-Moldovan dual citizen in the UAE.
Zvi Kogan, an envoy for the Orthodox Jewish organization Chabad, has been missing since Thursday, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.
Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad, is conducting an “active investigation” and suspects the incident may involve terrorism, while local authorities have confirmed they are searching for him.
“Israeli security and intelligence agencies, deeply concerned about Kogan’s safety and well-being, have been working relentlessly on this case,” stated the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The UAE’s state news agency reported that the interior ministry is also investigating the disappearance and searching for the missing individual.
The UAE and Israel formalized diplomatic relations under the US-brokered Abraham Accords and have maintained their ties even during the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
The Israeli government’s travel advisory service warns citizens to only travel to the UAE for “essential reasons”, as they say there is “terrorist activity” in the UAE, which constitutes “a real risk to Israelis who are staying/visiting in the country”.
Chabad UAE did not immediately respond to the BBC’s request for comment.
